GEM EVENT – Andrew Rogers “Silent Movie”

June 10 @ 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm

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The Might Moeller Theatre Pipe organ comes to life on Sunday June 10 at 2:00 pm CST with Andrew Rogers at the council performing an original score Mel Brook’s Silent Movie. This contemporary dialogue free slapstick comedy was nominated for five Golden Globe awards. Rogers, a Detroit native, is an organist at the Michigan Theatre in Ann Arbor. He scores and performs silent films throughout the U.S. and internationally. Rogers will perform an original score created for theatre organs to accompany this movie.

About the movie:
In this dialogue-free slapstick comedy, film director Mel Funn (Mel Brooks) travels to the ailing Big Picture Studios to pitch his comeback film: the first feature-length silent movie in many years. Desperate for a hit, the studio chief (Sid Caesar) gives Funn and his cronies, Eggs (Marty Feldman) and Bell (Dom DeLuise), the go-ahead — but only if they can get big celebrities to act in it. Excited, Funn begins an adventure across the country in his effort to secure superstars for his film.

About Organist Andrew Rogers:
Andrew currently serves on staff at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor. Residing in Fenton, Mi., Andrew travels doing theater organ concerts, accompanying silent films, and lecturing on film scoring. Several years ago, he quit his 17 year job at a travel agency and, more recently, retired from actively serving in the priesthood after the closing of the parish he had been serving. The two changes has enabled him to change music from a hobby to his living.
Andrew’s musical studies began with the accordion – winning local and national competitions by playing transcriptions of classical orchestral music. He later appeared in the orchestra for productions of the Theater Department at Michigan State University where he holds his degree with honors in Psychology.
While working at the Wurlitzer factory store in Dearborn, he sought out the late Fr. James Miller for lessons. He studied theater organ techniques with Fr. Jim, then augmented his studies with Dr. Marilyn Mason while she was on sabbatical from U of M. He, also, accompanied Fr. Jim on his second tour of Australia and Norfolk Island, appearing both in joint concerts and solo engagements. Also, scholarships from the University of Michigan enabled him to travel on two Historic Organ Tours led by Dr. Mason covering France, Italy, and Switzerland – playing 58 instruments and participating in ten public concerts.

It was his association with Fr. Jim that led to his own ordination into the Priesthood and, subsequently, served for 30 years before the parish closed. When the Bishop asked if he wanted to be reassigned to another parish, he asked if that would require a move and getting an answer in the affirmative, Andrew then officially “retired” as he had no interest in moving his 3/13 Barton into another home.

In addition to theater organ venues, it was in 2003 when Andrew was invited to play meditation music for a local public program for Japan’s Foundation For Global Harmony. The music so transported its founder, that he asked Andrew to create two meditation CD’s for the Foundation to help raise funds for orphanages, hospitals, vocational schools, etc., for children in SE Asia. It led to trips from New York to Hawaii along with five trips to Japan and a trip to Myanmar.